UPDATED: Foul smell coming from 9 week old, no discharge from nose. Still need help please!

[Three4me]

BUT i have found a few chickens do have blue earlobes! Silkies do, and i found this one that does too.

Wow, that is so weird. The last pic to me looks close to her ear color. She is a Rosecomb bantam (just to be clear, I am talking about the breed, not her comb type) I just became aware that certain breeds can have a "rose" comb but are not a "rosecomb" breed. So confusing to me! I know with the Rosecomb breed they are supposed to have big white earlobes along with a "rosecomb" which she does. Instead of white earlobes hers are greenish-blue now though. And as she is pure black, the earlobes look really strikingly greenish-blue. I think you're right, it probably is time to take her to the vet. It is 6:30am here right now and I am about to get the kids up and off to school. I'll check her after that and if her breath is still bad I will give the vet a call. She is a farm store chicken that I got when she was a week old. I have no idea which hatchery they get their chick from. She has always looked like a purebred Rosecomb with the long tail and rosecomb but I suppose it isn't impossible that she could be a mix? I will be sure to give an update on the "Charlie" Sistuation. Thank you!

 

[casportpony]

Avian dermatophytosis. Or, more commonly, only one: Favus.

Microsporum gallinae is the causative agent.
Definition: a fungal species that causes dermatophytosis in fowl and, occasionally, in humans; due to its broadly clavate macroconidia, it was erroneously classified as a species of Trichophyton.

I'm not a vet, and have no clinical basis for askin' y'all to test my theory, but I'm nearly certain that the antifungal Tolnaftate would prove effective against this fungal species, and I'd sure appreciate it if you'd each give it a try?

Kroger's Medicated Athlete's Foot Antifungal Liquid Spray contains 1% Tolnaftate, and is labeled to treat althlete's foot (tinea pedis) and ringworm (tinea corporis). The inactive ingredients are SD Alcohol 40-B (36% w/w), BHT, isobutane (propellant), and PPG-12-buteth-16. You could spray it into a cotton ball placed w/in the lid, as an easy way to apply it w/o gettin' it into their eyes (for fear of causing irritation ~'-)

Other products that contain Tolnaftate, by Brand Name:


US Market:

• Absorbine Jr. Antifungal
• Aftate
• Blis-To-Sol
• Dermasept Antifungal
• Fungi-Guard

• Podactin
• Q-Naftate
• Tinactin
• Tinaderm
• Ting

Canadian Market:

• Athlete's Foot Gel
• Dr. Scholl's Athlete's Foot
• Pitrex
• Scholl's Athlete's Foot Spray
• Scholl Tritin Antifungal Powder
• Scholl Tritin Antifungal Spray Powder

• Tinactin Aerosol Liquid
• Tinactin Aerosol Powder
• Tinactin Jock Itch
• Tinactin Plus
• Tinactin Plus Aerosol Powder

Found this here on another thread. Dont know if it's what you got, but look into it. here is where I found it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/720622/white-earlobe

From the AAAP Avian Diseas Manual - 6th Edition

[FONT=TimesNewRoman,Bold][FONT=TimesNewRoman,Bold]FAVUS[/FONT][/FONT]
(Avian ringworm, Avian dermatophytosis)
DEFINITION
Favus is a mycotic infection found primary in gallinaceous birds. Favus is rare in commercial poultry
today, but is occasionally reported in backyard flocks, especially exotic and game chickens. Characteristic
lesions include white crusting on the comb and wattles [

Fig. 1; Favus; Cornell U] that can extend to the
feathered portion of the skin to form scutula around the bases of feather follicles.

[FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic][FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic]Microsporum gallinae [/FONT][/FONT]is the
agent most often isolated, although

[FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic][FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic]M. gypseum [/FONT][/FONT]and [FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic][FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic]Trichophyton simii [/FONT][/FONT]have also been isolated. Topical
treatment with nystatin has been efficacious on individual birds.​

130

 

[casportpony]

FWIW, I know I have some with the same turquoise ears, but they seem healthy, so I haven't worried.

 

[fishnet1971]

yea, i agree cas, i bet the earlobes are normal for her chick.Just really cool looking.

 

[Three4me]

Hey everyone I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of your guidance and wisdom. Your support has been wonderful and made me feel so welcome to the forum. I took Charlie to the vet today whom I found out also has chickens of his own

. We live in a small town and one of my sons is in the same class at school with his son. I had no idea he had chickens though. That made me feel more at ease as I know not all vets have experience with poultry.
I am happy to report that she is doing good! He is not sure what the smell is but said she does not have any fungal infections, respiratory infections that were apparent, or sour crop. She is eating and drinking and pooping normally still, it is just that smell that has had me so worried. I told him about losing a little 5 week old last week and he does not think this is related. He said he thought it was a failure to thrive issue. She was always really small so I agree with him.
He told me to watch her very carefully and if I see her acting depressed or lethargic or a drop in her food consumption to get her right back to him immediately. At this point he does not want to blindly medicate her as she is doing fine except for the sour breath. I must have a sensitive smeller because he did not think it was nearly as horrible as I do! Kinda weird that none of my other chickens have a smell to their breath at all. Charlie is the only one. He put in an order of Nystatin to have on hand in his clinic just in case we need it (he was out).

So not sure why her earlobes turned blue but said there is no sign of any fungal infection and they look healthy so don't worry. I really don't care what color her earlobes are as long as she is healthy.

Thanks again, and I will update this thread if anything changes.

 

[fishnet1971]

whohoooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is exactly the advise I wanted to give you, but was afraid to in case anything happened!!!! I am sorry it cost you some money, but I bet you are glad you did! Congrats on a lucky baby. I am so relieved for you and your little baby.

 

[Three4me]

whohoooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is exactly the advise I wanted to give you, but was afraid to in case anything happened!!!! I am sorry it cost you some money, but I bet you are glad you did! Congrats on a lucky baby.  I am so relieved for you and your little baby.

I really am glad I did take her. Now I will have peace of mind and it is good to be established with a vet that can handle chicken things. I can deal with the sour breath as long as she is healthy. Charlie is my ten year old son's very favorite chicken and easing his mind from all the worry was completely worth the $42 office visit When the 5 week old up and died on us last week he was helping me take care of her and we both saw her take her last breath. That was hard but he understands it is part of life.

 

[Three4me]

Shoot. Is there no way to delete a post when I accidentally hit submit twice?

 

[fishnet1971]

How's she doing?

 

[Three4me]

How's she doing?

Hey thanks for asking! She is doing great...except for the smell. It is still there, but not quite as strong. The vet couldn't find anything wrong with her other than the sour breath. None one of my other peeps have it so maybe she just has chronic halitosis

.

She is steadily gaining weight (I have been weighing her on a digital kitchen scale) so I guess I need to stop worrying!

I love this forum and am so thankful I found it. It is so great for a newbie to be able to get advice from those who have experience.